Chapter 1051: I Am Looking For My Prince [Part 2]
"I am looking for my Prince.
"In fact, I am looking at him right now."
Princess Aila who was seated beside Shannon, glanced at the young lady beside her in surprise. Although the angelic Princess had interacted with the fox girl while they were together, Shannon had never said anything about the fact that she liked William too.
It was at this moment when she felt an ache in her chest. Her purpose for coming to the Demon Continent was to look for William and convey to him the dreams that she was having. Although those memories had happened in her past life, those memories were very precious to her.
If possible, she wanted to apologize to him for being weak back then, and unable to stand up for the feelings she had for him. She also wanted to use this lifetime to compensate for the time they had lost in the past, but Shannon's words made her heart feel like someone was squeezing it.
While Princess Aila was enduring in silence, William looked at Shannon as if he had heard something incredulous.
Shannon was like a walking death incarnate. Now that his quest in lifting the curse on Est's, Ashe's, and Isaac's bodies was finished, he no longer had any reason to form a close connection with her.
Form a connection with someone that could potentially kill you with a stare?
Sorry, no thank you.
"I hope you find your Prince," William replied with a smile and pretended that he didn't hear the second part of Shannon's statement. He then looked at Princess Aila whose face was flushed, and who seemed to be having a hard time breathing.
"Aila, are you alright?" William asked with a trace of concern in his voice. "Are you perhaps not feeling well? You don't look so good right now."
Princess Aila lowered her head because she didn't want William to see her expression right now.
"I-I'm fine. I just didn't get enough sleep last night," Princess Aila answered.
"I see. Do take good care of yourself. Owen may not be my Master, but he has taught me many things. I can also be considered your senior brother, you know?"
"I'm older than you by a year, shouldn't you call me senior sister?"
"Age has no connection with Seniority. I was taught by old Owen first, so I'm like his pseudo-disciple. Feel free to call me Senior Brother from now on."
Princess Aila slowly raised her head as she looked at William with a face that was as red as a tomato.
"S-Senior Bwadah," Princess Aila stuttered which made her misspeak the words she wanted to say.
William chuckled after seeing the flustered Princess try to recover her bearings. Although he hadn't interacted with the angelic Princess much, he already considered her to be one of his people from Lont.
Shannon, who had been ignored by William, glanced at the two with a curious gaze. She knew that the Princess wanted to go to the Demon Continent to meet the Half-Elf, and she used this as an opportunity to ask for their help to escape, and accompany them on their journey.
The Fox Lady already knew that Princess Aila still didn't understand her feelings for William. This was why she decided to test her reaction, and see how she would respond to her confession to the person she liked.
Seeing her expression, Shannon understood that she might have inadvertently hurt Princess Aila's feelings. This was something that she didn't expect to happen because she knew that William could have up to nine wives (not including Belle).
Because of this, she wanted to give Princess Aila a push, and also give herself a push to get a piece of the Half-Elf's heart, which was slowly, but surely, being filled up by the women around him.
Unfortunately, Shannon didn't know about Est's, or Cathy's existence. Because of this, she had miscalculated the number of wives and fiances that William currently had.
"Sir William, please don't ignore me," Shannon stated. "I like you very much, and Princess Aila feels the same way. We want to become your wives as well, is this possible?"
William and Princess Aila who had resumed drinking their tea in order to regain their composure choked at the same time after hearing Shannon's straightforward request.
Chloee, who was sitting on William's shoulder, frowned after hearing Shannon's words. For the past few days, she had been thinking about how to handle the complicated feelings inside her heart. After having a talk with Elliot, Chloee felt that her wish was an impossible one.
She was born a Familiar, not a Human. William's circumstances and her circumstances were like heaven and earth, so she had resolved herself to give up and lock these feelings inside her heart, but after seeing Shannon's casual way of declaring her love, and asking William to make her and Princess Aila his wives, something snapped inside the violent Familiar, which resulted in the chocolate bar in her hands to snap in half.
"Will, are you going to make these two your wives?" Chloee asked in a teasing manner.
William, who had just recovered from a coughing fit, patted his chest before drinking a mouthful of tea.
"Shannon, please stop with the jokes," William stated after regaining his composure. "It's not funny."
"Who says I'm joking?" Shannon replied. "I am being serious here."
Shannon had lived a life of seclusion all her life. Because of this, a feeling of rebelliousness had sprouted in her heart long ago. Now that she was free from the prison that she had called home, she wanted to face life boldly, without caring whether she succeeded or not.
She had already lost her childhood.
She would be damned if she allowed herself to continue living a life while suppressing the things she really wanted to do in her heart. Shannon had no experience when it came to love. All her life, she had lived inside her shrine. Her understanding of love was only to the extent of the love that she had seen through the eyes of other people.
In a way, Shannon fell in love of William's love for his wives and lovers. The way he was willing to do anything for them, fight anyone for them, and make love with them until her entire face had turned red like a tomato.
Shannon wanted to be like them. She wanted to be cared for, she wanted to be embraced, she wanted to be loved.
Although her approach when it came to love was straightforward, the beautiful lady hiding behind her fox mask was very serious about it. Hearing William call her effort a joke made her heart ache.
William was unable to see Shannon's expression because she was wearing a mask. If he only knew that the young lady was already teary-eyed at the moment then he would have chosen his words more carefully.
The Half-Elf glanced at Shannon then at Princess Aila whose face had turned a deeper shade of red. It was at this moment when he realized that she was indeed serious about it, which gave him a headache.
"Hey Disciple, are you ignoring me?" Chloee started to poke William using the chocolate bar in her hand. "Are you going to marry these two girls? How about you marry me instead?"
William ignored Chloee's words because he thought that she was just teasing him as always. Right now, he was thinking of a way to deal with the two ladies in front of him, and make sure that Shannon wouldn't start a genocide after getting rejected by him.
Chapter 1052: I Want To Sleep With You Tonight
William stared towards the North with his arms crossed over his chest, while Conan sat on top of his shoulder.
He had told Princess Aila and Shannon that he would seriously think about his answer to their confessions after he finished dealing with the things he needed to do in the Demon Continent.
Originally, he planned to politely reject both of them, but before he could do that, Conan told him via telepathy that the two of them should have a talk in private first, before he gave the two ladies his answer.
As a familiar born from a quarter of the Half-Elf's soul, Conan understood William the best. He knew that William had no time to entertain any other women aside from the ones he currently had, but he still wanted to let William know about Princess Aila's dreams.
Because if he didn't do this, it would just be a tragic thing for both William and Princess Aila.
"Conan, what do you want to talk about?" William asked via telepathy. "You know that my decision has already been made. There is no use trying to talk me out of it."
"I know," Conan answered, "but like I told you earlier, there is something that I need to tell you before you give your answer to Aila and Shannon."
"Is it that important?"
"To the present you, no. However, to the past you, it is fairly important."
William's eyes widened in shock as he glanced at the little devil on his shoulders. He didn't have to be a genius to understand what Conan was trying to say.
"Are you telling me that Aila and I shared a connection in my life in Asgard?" William inquired.
"Maybe," Conan answered. "I'm not entirely sure, but she kept having these dreams about a silver-haired Einherjar. It will be best if you use your Dreamwalker skill, and see for yourself whether you really have a connection with her or not."
"But, I don't have any memories of her?"
"You also didn't know of Acedia's existence until you entered Ashe's dreams for the first time, right? Why don't you give it a try first. This will also bring closure to a part of our past."
William remained silent for a full minute before reluctantly nodding his head. Conan managed to convince him, and he was also very curious about the dreams that Princess Aila had. Perhaps, by entering her dream, some unanswered questions that he had of the past, would finally open up to him.
—--
On the rooftop of their temporary residence…
"So? How did it go?"
"He ignored me."
Elliot chuckled as he gazed at the grumpy Chloee who was currently munching on pancakes.
"Of course it's not going to be easy," Elliot answered. "If I was in his place, I would have said the same thing."
"But you told me that he loves me," Chloee stated while glaring at him. "Was that a lie?"
Elliot sighed as he glanced at the North. "It was the truth. However, just like you, William is burying that feeling in the corner of his heart. He understands that the two of you are not meant to be together because he is a Half-Elf and you are a familiar."
Chloee snorted as she resumed her savage eating of her pancakes. She thought that by taking advantage of Shannon's confession, she would also be able to express her feelings as well, but it just backfired on her.
William treated her words as a joke. Just as he had thought Shannon's words to be before the Fox Lady told him how serious she was.
"Then, what should I do?" Chloee asked. "Is there really no other way?"
"Um? I'm not a love advisor. Why are you asking me?" Elliot asked back.
Chloee looked at the angelic familiar with a dumbfounded expression on her face before nodding her head.
"You're right. Sorry, I made a mistake," Chloee said. "How can you be a love advisor after I rejected your confession?"
"Ouch," Elliot pressed his hands over his chest as a pained expression appeared on his face. "You don't hold back, do you?."
Chloee ignored him and returned to eating. Since the no-good-Elliot was of no help to her, she decided that talking with him was just a waste of time.
The angelic familiar sighed as he once again shifted his gaze to the North.
In truth, he wanted to tell Chloee that she had a chance, but after seeing how that chance appeared, he would rather not say anything about it.
'Sometimes being able to see the future is a curse,' Elliot thought. 'I've never felt so helpless in my life.'
—---
Shannon visited Princess Aila and apologized for the outburst she had made earlier. She said that she didn't mean to hurt the Princess feelings, and only wanted to let her feelings known, so that she wouldn't have any regrets in life.
Princess Aila said that there was nothing to apologize for because Shannon and her were in the same boat. After talking for a while, the two girls decided to have a heart-to-heart talk about what they would do while they waited for William's answer.
The Half-Elf had told them that there were many things that he needed to do in the Demon Continent, and he couldn't give them an answer right away. Princess Aila and Shannon knew that they couldn't press William for an answer,
When Shannon asked Princess Aila how William and she met, the angelic Princess didn't hold back and told her everything.
"Back then, when I was about to be married off in the Kyrintor Mountains, I thought that this was something that I should do as a Princess of my Dynasty," Princess Aila said as the memories of the past flashed through her mind. "However, just as I had resigned myself to my Fate, he came along and pulled me out of that helpless situation."
Shannon listened intently because this was something that she had not witnessed in the past. There was a very powerful barrier that shielded everyone's eyes from what was happening on the Southern Continent, and even Shannon's vision was obscured back then.
Not being able to draw that war was one of the regrets in her life, so she pressed Shannon to continue her story, so that she could paint it inside her mind instead.
The hours passed by without their knowledge. Only when Princess Aila's stomach grumbled in protest did the two realize how late it had become.
As the two walked towards the dining hall, they came across William who seemed to have just finished eating his dinner. The moment the Half-Elf saw the pair of beautiful girls, he walked towards them and whispered something in Princess Aila's ears.
After saying what he needed to say, he left in a casual manner without even turning back.
Shannon glanced in William's direction before shifting her attention back to Alia. Even though the hallway was not that brightly lit, the Fox Lady could see a tinge of red that was slowly creeping up the angelic Princess' face.
Princess Aila then lightly rubbed her face as she tried to regain her composure. She didn't know if she just misheard William or not, but the words that he had told her resonated inside her mind, over and over again.
"I want to sleep with you tonight."
Those were the words that made the angelic beauty's heart skip a beat. She didn't know why the Half-Elf she liked said those words to her, but one thing was certain.
She wouldn't be sleeping alone in her bed tonight.
Chapter 1053: Aila’s Dream [Part 1]
Princess Aila sighed as she cupped a handful of water in her bathtub. Floating over it were dozens of fragrant flowers that she had requested from the maidservant that was assigned to look after her for the duration of her stay in the territory of the Sand Clan.
She had just returned from eating dinner, and yet, she didn't even remember what the food tasted like. Her mind was in chaos as William's words echoed over and over again inside her mind.
"I want to sleep with you tonight."
A red tinge started to creep up her neck, up her angelic face, all the way to the tip of her ears.
William's words were quite vague, and she didn't understand it much. Even so, she decided to prepare herself just in case the Half-Elf wanted to embrace her.
She could still remember how she was supposed to become the sacrificial bride many years ago in order to strengthen the alliance between the Northern Tribes and her Kingdom. However, all of that came to an abrupt end when the handsome red-headed teenager stepped in to foil her father's plan.
Truth be told, Princess Aila had always thought of William as her benefactor. Although it wasn't to the point of falling madly in love with him, she held him in high regard. When her brother, the current Crown Prince of the Zelan Dynasty, told her to do everything in her power to become William's wife, she didn't reject the idea.
Princess Aila knew that, if it was him, she wouldn't mind becoming his wife.
Unfortunately, Aila wasn't a very courageous person. Although she had become a bit more confident in interacting with the people in her class, she wasn't like Shannon who could speak her mind without holding back.
Also, she wasn't very good at seduction. The mere thought of trying to seduce William was enough to make her head spin and her cheeks burn in embarrassment.
What the angelic beauty didn't know was that she didn't need to seduce anyone to have them attack her like wolves. Her beauty, and her innocence, was more than enough to make the boys in her class howl like wolves.
Unfortunately, William wasn't someone who lacked beauties in his life. All of his wives and fiances were beautiful in their own right. Each having their own charm and strong points that made him immune to any kinds of seduction.
Princess Aila understood this, but still, her heart still skipped a beat at the thought of joining their ranks and standing by his side.
"I hope he is gentle with me," Princess Aila said as she looked at the flower petal that had remained in her hands. "This is after all… my first time."
The angelic beauty soaked her body for two more minutes, before leaving the bathtub to prepare for William's arrival.
Whatever was going to happen on this peaceful night, she would face it with everything she had.
—---
William gazed at the two moons in the distance, while his two familiars, Conan and Elliot sat on his left and right shoulders.
The three of them talked about many things, and William explained to them his plans going forward.
"Hmm, so you plan to go to the North where the Holy Land is located," Conan rubbed his chin. "This will certainly be dangerous, but no worries. I am here, so all is well. Kekeke!"
"Right," William nodded. "As long as the three of us are together, we can overcome anything!"
"Oh!" Conan raised his right fist in agreement to Wiliam's words.
Elliot on the other hand remained silent. He had his arms crossed over his chest with his eyes closed.
"What's wrong, Elliot?" William asked. "Something on your mind?"
Elliot nodded. "I just want you to know that Chloee loves you as well."
"... Really?"
"Mmm."
William sighed as he shifted his attention to the stars in the sky. Back then, he only had enough love for one woman. But now, things were different.
"What do you want me to do, Elliot?" William inquired. "You already know about my promise to Belle."
"I know." Elliot nodded. "I just told you this so that you don't treat her love to you as a joke."
William closed his eyes. "Did you confess to her?"
"Yes," Elliot replied. "I got the part of your soul that fell in love with her, so what can I do about it?"
Conan chuckled after hearing their exchange. "Kekeke! You got dumped!"
"Right." Elliot sighed. "Still, being able to confess takes a load off my chest. I have no regrets."
William nodded his head. He could understand what Elliot meant about having no regrets. He had regretted many things in his past lives, and had broken several promises. If possible, he didn't want to repeat the same mistake he made back then.
"Well then, It's time for me to go," William said. "I'll leave the rest to the two of you."
"You can count on us!"
"Mmm."
—---
Ten minutes later…
Aila had just finished wearing her night dress when she heard a knock on her door. Knowing that the time had come, she walked towards the door with her heart beating wildly inside her chest.
"Who is it?" Princess Aila asked.
"It's me, William."
The angelic Princess took a deep breath in order to compose herself before opening the door. Her knees almost turned to jelly when she saw the handsome Half-Elf in front of her. Although she had seen William many times in the past, this night was different and her nervousness was at an all time high.
"P-Please, come in, Sir William," Princess Aila stuttered as she made a gesture to invite the Half-Elf inside her room.
William said his thanks and walked inside. After closing the door, an awkward silence fell between the two of them because the angelic Princess didn't know how to proceed from there.
Whenever the thought of inviting William to her bedroom crossed her mind, her words became stuck up in her throat. Also, she lacked the courage to take the initiative to invite a boy into her bed.
Seeing her pitiful expression, the red-headed teenager lightly coughed as he looked at the blushing girl in front of him.
"Can you take me to your bedroom?" William asked.
"O-Okay," Princess Aila replied as she hastily moved toward her room without looking back.
William could only smile at this cute behavior of hers as he followed behind her. Although he was still half in doubt, he needed to see the Princess' dreams before he could make a decision.
After entering the angelic beauty's room, William knew that he needed to take the initiative, or the two of them would once again return to that awkward state.
The Half-Elf told the Princess that he would be casting a sleeping spell on her, so that he could directly enter her dream without too much resistance. Princess Aila agreed and lay on the bed to allow the Half-Elf to put her to sleep.
A minute later, the angelic beauty was already fast asleep, allowing William to relax a little.
He had already changed his Job Class to the Incubus Class and used his powers to enter Princess Aila's dream.
"Time to see if she's telling the truth," William said softly as he pressed his forehead over Princess Aila's.
"Synchronize."
Chapter 1054: Aila's Dream [Part 2]
The first thing that William heard was the sound of a river flowing freely in the distance.
Slowly but surely, the white world in front of him disappeared, and was replaced by beautiful scenery.
These scenes were not new to him because he had seen similar things in Midgard, Asgard, and Alfheim.
As he scanned his surroundings, he noticed a silver-haired teenager lying unconscious beside the river. A single glance was enough to tell him that it was the Einherjar William that he was seeing.
'So, it's true?' William thought as he looked at the self who seemed to have received serious injuries from a battle.
As one of the Einherjars, he would often be sent into the battlefield, alongside his comrades, to keep the forces of Jotunheim and Muspelheim at bay. William was no stranger to these battles, and he had almost died in several of them.
Fortunately, he could be considered lucky, as well as unlucky, for being able to see the end of the world and be the last one standing, out of all those who stood up against the forces of destruction.
As these memories played inside his head, he saw several giant, flying manta rays in the distance. The Half-Elf thought that they would just pass by his location, but one of the manta rays broke out from their formation and headed in his direction.
It was then when he saw her. A young lady with long purple hair that fluttered in the breeze. Her eyes, that were of the same color as her hair, had a worried look in them as she urged her flying mount to descend from the sky.
William watched as the angelic beauty jumped off her mount, and went to check the condition of the fallen warrior who was seriously injured.
After checking his condition, she immediately cast a healing spell to heal his injuries. Only when the last wound on his body closed up did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"Is that person still alive?" a seductive beauty with long blonde hair and purple eyes asked in a lazy manner. "It's probably one of those Einherjars fighting at the borders. He might have fallen in the river and drowned. What a pitiful way to die."
"He's not dead," the angelic beauty replied. "You shouldn't talk like that about the warriors that are keeping our realm safe, Hnoss."
The seductive beauty simply shrugged as she stared at the unconscious teenager in the purple-haired lady's arms.
"So, what are you planning to do with him?" Hnoss asked. "Although you have healed his wounds, it is only on the surface. Judging from his life energy, he will probably be in a coma for a month or two.
"Why don't you just leave him here, Aila? His body would allow the wild beasts to have their fill. Also, the Aesirs are a rowdy bunch. I'm sure they won't notice if one of their Einherjars is missing, right?."
Aila frowned as she made her decision. Using her wind magic, she lifted the silver-haired teenager towards her flying mount and laid him gently on top of it.
"I'm taking him back," Aila said with a determined expression on her face. "You take their sacrifice too lightly, Hnoss."
Hnoss shrugged as if Aila's words didn't mean anything to her. "Well, I guess he is good looking enough. He would make a good pet. Just make sure that you don't let your parents know that you're keeping him. You know that they look down on the Aesir's cannon fodder."
William glanced at the seductive lady whose name was Hnoss. For some reason, he had the strong urge to spank her bum until she cried for her mama and papa.
Suddenly, the world in front of Wiliam's eyes faded.
He found himself standing on a small hill overlooking a field of flowers. At the center of it, two figures were laying on the ground with their hands intertwined with each other.
"Are you really going back?" Aila asked. "Can't you just stay here, with me?"
"I'm sorry, but I need to go soon. My men as well as my wife might become worried if I don't appear on the battlefield," William replied. "But, I promise that I will come back after the fight at the borders ends."
"Do you think that Wendy will like me?"
"I don't know. But, I'm sure that she will not treat you harshly. After all, you were the one that saved my life."
The angelic beauty sighed as she rolled towards William, until she was on top of him.
"Don't go dying on me, okay?" Aila said as she caressed William's face.
"I won't," William replied. "If I died, you and Wendy would probably cry rivers for my sake."
"At least you know."
"Mmm."
The angelic beauty then lowered her head to peck on William's lips once before raising her head again.
"I gave you my first kiss, so you better come back to me," Aila said softly.
"You call that a kiss?" William asked in a teasing tone.
"It's not?"
"Well, technically it is. But, I know a better one."
"Show me."
"Okay."
In that field of flowers, the silver-haired teenager taught the innocent young lady how to kiss. When their kiss ended, both of them were out of breath.
—--
After dinner, William started to pack his belongings as he prepared for his trip back to the border, where the war was still being fought. No matter how much Aila tried to convince him to forget about the war and stay with her, his resolve was firm.
This was his last night in Aila's Villa, and he was also feeling sad about it. After being saved by her, she nursed him back to health and kept him company until he recuperated.
Because of this, the two became close. They went from strangers, to friends, to lovers in the span of two months, and William knew that he would miss her dearly after he left.
Just as he was about to sleep on his bed, he heard a knock on his door.
William didn't need to ask who it was because he was very familiar with Aila's presence. After opening the door, the angelic beauty threw herself into William's arms with tears in her eyes.
"I won't stop you from leaving, but please, just for tonight, let me stay here with you," Aila pleaded.
"Okay," William replied as he wrapped his arms around Aila and kissed her forehead. "But, are you sure you want to stay with me tonight?"
"Yes."
"I won't be able to hold back and embrace you. Are you really fine with that?"
"... Un."
William knew that Aila had resolved herself to take their relationship to the next level. Although he was happy because of this development, he was also sad because circumstances had forced her to act this way.
Seeing his hesitation, the angelic beauty wrapped her arms around William's neck and tiptoed to kiss his lips.
That kiss broke the last restraint that was holding the silver-haired teenager back. He no longer hesitated and led Aila to his bed.
Soon, the rustling of clothes was heard, as Aila's celestial dress, as well as William's robe, fell to the floor.
Both of them knew that this was going to be a long night, and they would do everything they could, to ensure that it would be a memorable one.
Chapter 1055: Aila's Dream [Part 3] - R-18
(Disclaimer: This chapter contains R-18 scenes. If you're not comfortable reading them, feel free to skip this chapter.)
"You're beautiful, Aila."
"T-Thank you."
As their clothes fell down from their bodies, William and Aila stared at each other for a half a minute, before sharing a passionate kiss.
She was no longer ignorant to what a real kiss was because they had already kissed each other countless times over the past few weeks. That was all they did, and nothing else. Aila knew that William had been holding back because he thought that she wasn't ready.
However, since he was about to leave her, Aila gathered all of her courage to visit him, so they could share a memorable night together.
It was then when she felt the silver-haired teenager's right hand that was resting on her waist, slowly moved upwards. This sensual action sent shivers down her spine, fueling something inside her that she had never felt before.
William's hand then cupped Aila's well-shaped breast that perfectly fit his hand. Slowly, but surely, he started to knead it, while lightly pinching its pink tip, making it firm under his touch.
Aila was surprised by the numbing sensation that suddenly washed over her body, but she didn't find it repulsive. Although she was feeling nervous and her heart was beating wildly inside her chest, she continued to kiss William, and allowed him to do as he pleased with her body.
After their kiss ended, William sat on top of the bed, and pulled Aila close to him.
"Wrap your arms around my neck," William said as his hands rested on Aila's backside, pulling her close to him.
Doing as she was ordered, the angelic beauty wrapped her arms around William's neck, and waited for her beloved's next move.
William started to kiss, and nibble Aila's firm and pink tips that were eager for his love. Whenever he sucked on them, Aila would bite her lips subconsciously as she felt William's tongue play with it inside his mouth.
Still, that was the least of her worries. William's hands weren't being idle either. They kneaded and squeezed Aila's backside, making her gasp. Soon, she was finding it difficult to maintain her legs' firm hold on his waist as William's two-pronged attack, from the front and behind, made her legs weaken.
If not for the fact that she was leaning against his body for support, she might have long collapsed on the floor.
Her body, that had not been touched by any man, was starting to feel sensations that she had never felt before. After several minutes passed, William finally stopped, allowing her some room to breathe.
Soon, Aila found herself lying on the bed, and staring up into a pair of beautiful blue eyes that looked at her with love and affection.
She knew what he wanted, because it was also the thing that she wanted.
"Please, be gentle."
"I will."
William kissed her forehead before raining kisses on her body. The moment William's tongue tasted her forbidden fruit, Aila's body uncontrollably shuddered.
"You're quite sensitive, Aila," William commented as he continued to prepare her for their long awaited union.
When he felt that she was ready, William kissed her one last time before claiming her maidenhood, dying the sheets with the proof of her purity.
Her cries of pain didn't last long and soon turned to sighs of pleasure. William could feel his breathing getting rough as he listened to her innocent moans that fanned the fire in his loins. He wanted her so badly that holding back pained him.
Her purple eyes looked at him with love.
Her soft lips tasted like heaven.
Her beautiful body was now under his own.
And her maidenhood had been surrendered to him.
He was more than happy to claim them all.
Soon, a grunt escaped his lips, as he released his essence inside her innocent womb, marking it as his own. Aila's body shuddered for the umpteenth time as something hot seeped inside her body, making her feel faint.
Her first time had been too intense, and it was more than she could handle. Even so, Aila remained conscious as the waves of pleasure washed over her body.
"I love you, Aila."
"I love you too, Will."
The night was still young, and William had to leave when morning came. Because of this, the two made love again and again, until they could no longer move their bodies.
—--
William looked at the two sleeping people on the bed with a complicated look on his face. He was merely an observer in this dream, and yet, he could sense the feelings both had for each other.
Soon, this scene disappeared and was replaced by another then another. This continued until William was dragged onto an altar with his arms and legs bound in chains.
"Aila, you don't have to listen to them," the silver-haired teenager said with labored breaths as he looked at the maiden who had sacrificed many things for his sake.
"Aila, it is better to put an end to his suffering," Hnoss, the seductive beauty with long blonde hair and purple eyes, said with a smile. "Your relationship with him will never be recognized by anyone. If you resist, the elders will just continue to torture him until you agree to end this farce."
Aila lowered her head as a single tear streamed down the side of her face. She knew that her friend, Hnoss, was right. If she continued to be stubborn, the only one who would suffer would be the silver-haired teenager whose entire body was now covered with wounds.
"Will, I'm sorry," Aila said as she pressed her hand over her lover's forehead. "Even if you forget about me, I promise that I won't forget about you. Not now, not until the end of time."
Her hand glowed with power as she activated her unique ability that could erase people's memories.
"Aila, please don't do thi-" the silver-haired teenager tried to resist, but he still lost consciousness after Aila used her ability on him.
William collapsed on the floor, as the angelic beauty covered her face with both of her hands and sobbed because she knew that she had lost someone very important to her today.
"It's not that hard, right?" Hnoss wrapped her arms around Aila's body and whispered in her ears. "Because of what you did, he doesn't have to suffer anymore. You made the right choice."
It was at this moment when the neighing of a horse was heard from the heavens.
Clad in lightweight armor, and carrying the flag of Asgard, a valkyrie landed on the altar. She glared hatefully at the Vanir who had tortured her Beloved, after what he had done for them.
Using her supernatural strength, Wendy broke the chains that bound William. She then supported his body until he was firmly mounted on her winged horse before mounting it herself.
Wendy's left arm supported William's waist and held him in place, while the Half-Elf's head rested on her chest.
She had traveled a great distance in order to arrive at Vanaheim to rescue her beloved from the stuck-up Vanirs who thought highly of themselves.
"Wendy, I'm sorry," Aila said as she looked at the Valkyrie Captain who was supporting William's body.
"You don't have to apologize." Wendy sneered. "From now on, never show yourself in front of him again. He doesn't need you in his life."
The dream ended after that.
When William opened his eyes, he found himself lying beside Princess Aila who was still sleeping. As he gazed at her angelic face, he noticed that the Princess was crying.
The Half-Elf didn't know that this wasn't the first time that Aila had cried whenever she saw that parting scene in her dreams. It was as if her entire soul was crying out for the relationship that she and William had lost on that day.
"What am I going to do with you?" William muttered softly as he used his fingers to wipe away the tears from her eyes.
Only when Aila stopped crying did the Half-Elf sigh in relief. He didn't want to admit it, but seeing her cry like that made his heart ache. After making sure that all her tears had been wiped dry, William covered her with a blanket, and lightly patted her head before leaving the bed.
He had many things to think about, and he was afraid that staying in the same room as her would make things difficult for him.
"Goodnight, Aila," William said before closing the door. Little did he know that a minute after he left, The tears that he thought were no more, were shed once again.
Chapter 1056: A Dark Future That Awaited All Of Them
A tear fell from Shannon's eyes as she finished the last brush stroke of her painting.
"I'm sorry," Shannon said as she covered her face with her paint-stained hands.
Due to Princess Aila's weird behavior after William whispered something in her ear. Shannon thought that something was amiss. After asking the angelic Princess what was wrong with her, she subconsciously muttered that William was planning to sleep with her tonight.
This revelation made Shannon blush because she didn't expect that William would immediately take things to the next stage after receiving their confessions.
Because of this, she decided to spy on the two of them, thinking that she would be able to better understand how couples share their nights together.
However, what she saw was completely unexpected. Although she had seen what she was looking for when the silver-haired William and Aila embraced each other, what followed next was heartbreaking.
It was like watching a very wholesome show that suddenly became a tragedy. This caught Shannon completely by surprise, and she didn't expect that her curiosity would leave her feeling so bitter and sad at the same time.
Although she didn't fully understand it, she had a hunch that what she saw was William's and Princess Aila's past life. This concept was not new to her because she had seen how William traveled back to Earth and met Belle, who had been his love in his previous lifetime.
Truth be told, Shannon felt a little envious because she didn't have this kind of connection with William.
Even so, she still felt that he was the Prince in the books that she had read in the past.
No.
Shannon wanted William to become her Prince.
When she heard about the prophecy of the Prince of Darkness, she wished that the prophesied Prince would come to save her, and pledge his undying love to her.
Sadly, fairy tales were different from reality.
Any Prince, no matter who they were, would commit suicide after seeing her face. This was something that she couldn't control even if she wanted to. This was why, when William first visited her in the shrine, she was very eager to know if he would be able to resist the power of her Divinity.
Sadly, he couldn't even after trying twice.
Back then, Shannon no longer thought of William as the prophesied Prince for one single reason.
How can the Prince be affected by her Divinity? Since he was the Prince of Darkness, he must be able to overcome anything in order to bring the entire world to its knees. That was Shannon's belief, and she had thought that Celeste and Celine weren't the true Brides of Darkness, but her.
"What should I do?" Shannon muttered after regaining control of her senses. "Should I apologize to Aila? No. if I do that, she will know that I spied on her last night."
Shannon was at a loss about what to do and her feelings were in disarray. Because of this, she didn't notice a little fairy looking at the paintings that she had drawn from behind her back.
It was only after a few minutes that Shannon realized that she wasn't alone and immediately turned around to look at Chloee who was looking at her paintings with her arms crossed over her chest and a serious expression on her face.
"What are you doing here?" Shannon asked. "Don't you know how to knock?"
"Knock? I came through the window," Chloee replied. "Why should I knock on windows?"
"That's not the point! I didn't give you permission to enter my room!"
"Oh? Don't sweat the small details. You're like that old man, Byron, who always complains whenever I break down the door of his office."
Shannon didn't know how to respond to Chloee's nonchalant attitude. Clearly, she was used to barging into other people's private space. Because of this, Shannon completely ignored the little familiar as she stood up to drink a glass of water.
Silence descended inside Shannon's room as the two girls did their own thing. Both of them had things on their mind, and were in no mood to talk to each other.
—--
William sighed for the umpteenth time as he held a canned soda in his hand. Conan and Elliot were right beside him and munching on sunflower seeds.
"So, how did it go?" Conan asked. "Is Aila really one of your past lovers?"
"Mmm." William nodded before emptying the can in his hand.
Elliot peeled his sunflower seed in a leisure manner as he listened to the conversation. He already had a hunch that Princess Aila was telling the truth, which was why he agreed to help her meet William in the Demon Continent.
However, the biggest question was, what would William do about it?
Seeing that William still couldn't decide on what to do, Elliot decided to give him a hand.
"How about you postpone your decision until you deal with the problem of the Ancient Ruins in the North?" Elliot asked. "I know that giving Princess Aila and Shannon your answer is important, but that could wait until you come back from the North. This will also give them enough time to prepare their hearts for whatever answer you need to give them."
"Are you sure that is a good idea?" William asked. "Wouldn't it be better if I just get it over with now?"
Elliot shook his head. "There are things that you cannot rush. Also, I had a premonition last night. You need to settle the issue with the Ancient Ruins first before tackling other matters."
William arched an eyebrow as he looked at his angelic familiar that was busy peeling his sunflower seeds. He knew that Elliot had the power of clairvoyance, so he didn't mind listening to his suggestion.
"Are you sure that there will be no issues?" William inquired.
"Relax, Shannon won't start a genocide just yet," Elliot replied before taking a bite of the seed in his hand. "That will happen after you return."
William rubbed his face with the palm of his hand. "This doesn't make me feel relieved at all."
"Will, you and I both know that you don't need to wait for the future," Elliot said as he gave Wiliam a sidelong glance. "It comes soon enough. And for your sake, I pray that it comes soon enough."
Elliot muttered the last part of his statement in a voice that was so low that not even William's strong hearing could pick up.
Although it didn't show on his face, Elliot had been feeling restless lately after seeing what the future held for William. He had already used his powers to formulate several possibilities, but all of them led to the same ending.
The only difference was the order in which things were going to unfold and their severity. Since that was the case, Elliot had resolved himself to push events that would give William a higher chance to reach the goals that he had set for himself.
This was the only thing he could think of in order to ward off that dark future that awaited all of them.
"Will, just remember one thing," Elliot said as he stared at William with a serious expression. "No matter what happens, you always have a choice."
William stared at Elliot long and hard before giving him a brief nod. For some reason, Elliot's words resonated inside his core, and it made him feel that something inside him had been cleared up. Although he still didn't know what that thing was, he was sure that he would find it after he traveled to the Holy Land of Darkness.
Chapter 1057: There Is No Turning Back
"Zeph, please take care of them while I'm away," William said with a smile as he looked at the old man's face that was slowly turning green from anger.
"Hahaha, of course," Zeph replied as he patted William's shoulder. "I'll make sure that the young misses are well taken care of."
William knew that although Zeph was smiling, deep inside the old man was cursing him and his ancestors from the bottom of his heart. If possible, he didn't want to babysit Princess Aila and Shannon, while the Half-Elf went to the North to handle his business.
But, since William was the contractor of the Fortaare Death Worm, the old coot had no choice but to send him off with a smile and assure him that everything was going to be alright.
William nodded his head with a satisfied expression on his face before turning his attention to Princess Aila and Shannon.
"Wait for my return," William said. "I promise that I will give you my answer by then."
Princess Aila nodded her head in understanding. Ever since William had entered her dream, she felt as if a burden had been taken off her shoulders.
Shannon, on the other hand, reluctantly nodded her head because she understood that she couldn't force her way inside William's heart were she to insist on following him on his journey.
Besides, her ability to travel long distances could be used once again, so she wasn't worried about not being able to go to where William was, in case he needed her.
"Conan, Elliot, look after them for me," William ordered his two familiars who patted their chest with confidence."
"Kekeke. Leave it to me."
"Consider it done."
Just as William was about to leave, Chloee landed on his head and sat on top of it.
"I'm going with you," Chloee declared. "I'm sure that what you are about to do is dangerous. I'll make sure to keep you safe."
William was about to urge Chloee to stay and protect Princess Aila and Shannon, when Elliot's telepathic message reached his consciousness.
"Take Chloee with you." Elliot insisted. "She will be of great help to you."
William paused for a bit before nodding his head. He had decided to heed Elliot's advice and take the little fairy with him on his journey.
"Okay, Sixth Master, make sure to keep me safe."
"Of course! This is my duty as your Master." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ᴡᴇʙ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ. ᴄᴏᴍ.
The little fairy that sat on top of William's head, grinned in happiness as she waved her goodbyes to Princess Aila, Shannon, Conan, and Elliot.
She was determined to go with William, even if she had to beat him black and blue in front of everyone. In order to keep the Half-Elf from suffering such torture, Elliot decided to step in and advised William to take her with him.
Besides, he didn't lie when he said that Chloee would be of great help to him on his journey to the North.
"I'll be going then," William said as he waved his goodbyes to everyone. "I'll see you all as soon as I can."
After bidding his farewell, he turned into a lightning bolt and shot through the skies, heading towards the North.
Elliot looked at William's departing figure and the smile on his face disappeared. It was replaced with a solemness that he rarely showed to anyone. He knew that no one could stop what was about to come, and the only thing he could do was to prepare himself for the inevitable.
—--
A streak of lightning landed in a valley that was several miles away from the Ancient Ruins that were being heavily guarded by the Demon Army.
"Welcome back," Celine nodded her head in greeting as she looked at William from the balcony of Baba Yaga's wooden house. "Have you finished your business?"
"It is still unfinished business, but that will have to wait until our return," William replied. "Where are the others?"
William scanned his surroundings but he couldn't find Vesta's, Kira's, and Athrun's flying carriages anywhere. This was supposed to be their meeting place after he had left for the Fortaare Desert to meet with Princess Aila, Shannon, Conan, Elliot, and Chloee.
"Vesta received a message from her father, telling her to go to a city not far from here," Celine replied. "According to her, that is where she will wait for the two of us to return. Kira and Athrun decided to stay with her because they knew that they couldn't accompany us to our destination."
William nodded his head in understanding. It was true that only he and Celine needed to go to the Ancient Ruins in order to deal with their current circumstances. Bringing others along would just put them in needless danger.
"Why is my sister's Familiar with you?" Celine frowned as she looked at Chloee, who was seated on top of William's head.
"Sixth Master decided to come with me as my bodyguard," William replied. "Don't worry. She can take care of herself."
Chloee eyed Celine but kept her mouth shut. She knew that Celeste and Celine had a good relationship, so she didn't want to start any conflicts with her. Also, William traveled all the way to the Demon Continent in order to look for his Master. She was not stupid enough to make things difficult for either party.
After hearing William's reply, Celine pondered for a while before nodding her head. She had seen what Chloee was capable of in the past and knew that even if she fought against her sister's familiar, the chances of her getting seriously injured was quite high.
"Will, I know that we already talked about this, but I'll ask you one last time," Celine said with a serious expression on her face. "Are you sure about this? Once we do this, there is no turning back."
"Master, running away doesn't solve anything," William replied. "It will just prolong our suffering. It will be better if we just go there and find out why our Dark Powers keep getting out of hand."
Celine closed the book in her hand and floated towards William's location.
"I'm ready when you are," Celine declared.
William nodded as he held her hand firmly. "Let's go. Whatever is waiting for us, we will face it together."
Chapter 1058: A Choice Between What Was Easy, And What Was Right
It didn't take long for William and Celine to arrive at the temporary stronghold that the Demons had built near the entrance of the Ancient Ruins.
"It's bigger than I thought," Celine said as she glanced at the ruins in front of her. "To think that something like this has been buried for countless years and was only unearthed recently, it makes me wonder if it's just coincidence."
"No." William shook his head. "This is no coincidence. It might be due to that Prophecy."
"Prophecy, is that edible?" Chloee asked before chewing the gummy bear in her hand.
William, and Celine exchanged a glance before giving each other a helpless smile.
To be perfectly honest, William didn't believe in Prophecies. However, he could no longer deny that there seemed to be some kind of mysterious power that was pushing things in motion. He didn't know if this was really what the Prophecy was like, all he knew was that he wouldn't allow Celine to become the bride of whoever that Prince was.
"Is there a way for us to sneak in?" William inquired as he gazed at the well-guarded entrance in the distance. If possible, he didn't want to force himself in because he was afraid that it might trigger the Ancient Ruins' defense mechanism and make the Dark Powers inside his body lose control.
During that state, he was practically helpless. In order to prevent both of them from being incapacitated, he opted for the most optimal way to enter the Holy Land of Dark Magic.
"I can feel some very faint signals coming from various locations around the ruins," Celine replied, "but I am not sure if they are the entrances that we are looking for."
Chloee who had been sitting on top of William's head voiced out her thoughts.
"I still think that using bruteforce is the best way to handle this situation," Chloee stated. "How about I do it for you g uys instead?"
"No."
"Let's not do that."
"Tsk."
While the three were pondering about what course of action they should take, something unexpected happened. At the center of the ruins, a dark orb slowly expanded and shot in the direction where Celine, William, and Chloee were hiding.
William and Celine were planning to dodge this dark beam, but to their surprise, they were unable to move their bodies. They could only watch helplessly as the Darkness engulfed both of them.
Chloee, on the other hand could move, but seeing that the Half-Elf and her Master's twin sister couldn't move, she just held tightly on William's hair as she allowed herself to also be hit by the beam of darkness as well.
It was at that moment when a hoarse laughter echoed within the Ancient Ruins that filled those who heard it with dread.
"The time… has come," the Dark Wraith appeared in the sky above the ruins and spread its arms wide. "Let this world… descend into Darkness!"
The dark orb once again expanded above the center of the Ruins and shot a dark beam of light towards the sky. A moment later, the clear blue sky became darker than black. No stars, no moons, no light, could pierce through the veil of darkness that extended for miles.
Felix immediately stepped out of the stronghold to try to understand what was happening around him. Although the Demon Army that had built the temporary stronghold was made up of elite warriors, he could sense the anxiousness in his surroundings, and he understood that if this continued, things might slip out of his control.
However, before he could even do anything, the dark orb once again expanded and shot a beam of darkness around the Ruins in a circular manner, hitting every living thing within a ten mile radius of the Ancient Ruins.
A few seconds later, not a single soul could be seen in the Stronghold,or in the surrounding regions.
The Dark Wraith laughed once again before disappearing from sight.
—---
Every Demon Clan near the Ancient Ruins was startled when they saw the unbelievable phenomenon that just transpired near their borders. None of them wasted any time and sent their fastest scouts to investigate what was happening.
A few hours later, the scouts returned with grim expressions on their faces. According to their observation, the field of darkness was slowly expanding outwards. They insisted that It was only a matter of time before it reached their territories.
"DId you cross the boundary of darkness?" one Patriarch asked one of the scouts that he had sent to investigate.
"Yes," the scout replied. "Aside from being under a dark sky, I didn't notice any noticeable changes in my body."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, My Lord. there is nothing wrong with arghh!"
The scout held onto his head in pain, while everyone in the room backed away. Tendrils of dark mists oozed out of his body as he rolled around on the ground.
A few minutes later, he stopped moving completely.
The Patriarch grit his teeth as he willed himself to walk towards his fallen subordinate to check his condition.
When he was only a few meters away from him, the subordinate's eyes opened. The patriarch was shocked to see that his pupils had turned completely black, instead of the orange color that was the trademark of their clan.
The scout slowly stood up as he gazed indifferently to the Demons around him.
"The Heir of Darkness… will be born soon," the scout said. "All who submit to him… will live, all who oppose him… will perish."
The scout walked towards the patriarch, while the latter backed away in fear.
Seeing his reaction the scout laughed hoarsely, which made everyone inside the room shudder uncontrollably.
"Spread the word…," the scout said as the mist that was oozing out of his body slowly dissipated. "He is coming. Darkness… will soon… reign supreme!"
After laughing one last time, the scout collapsed on the ground, dead, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
This scene was happening in many places at almost the same time. The Messengers of Darkness had heralded the coming of their Lord.
Just as they said, the dark sky was slowly expanding outwards, covering the land in eternal Darkness. Forced to make a decision, the Patriarchs immediately held an emergency meeting.
They were only left with two choices, cease all resistance and submit to the soon to be born Heir of Darkness, or flee their territories and head South to escape him.
As those whose territories bordered the northern regions were on their way to making a hard decision, the other Demon Clans weren't being idle either. Although they were quite far from the North, they didn't feel secure.
Even they felt that it was only a matter of time before their own territories would be under the dark sky, and fall under the rule of whoever would be chosen to become their new Master.
—--
The Southern Regions of the Demon Continent…
"So, it has finally started." Joash gazed at his artifact that was monitoring the Ancient Ruins.
Dark lightning streaked across the sky as thunderous roars boomed in the heavens. The lightning bolts would hit the Ancient Ruins from time to time, but they didn't do any damage to it. It seemed that the lightning itself was being attracted to it.
"Zeph, what are your plans?" Joash asked as he gazed at another round mirror that was hovering beside him.
"We will wait for the time being," Zeph answered with a solemn expression on his face. "According to my calculation, it will take at least two to three months before the Dark Domain reaches the Fortaare Desert. We have plenty of time to evacuate. I have already ordered my subordinates to prepare the logistics for if and when we are going to leave our homeland.
"For now, the majority of our people still don't know what is happening in the North. I'd like to keep it that way for a month, so there wouldn't be any cause for panic. My Liege Lord, Lorcan, also thinks the same way."
Joash nodded his head in understanding.
"I will tell my daughter and her entourage to join your clan for the time being," Joash said. "Watch over them for me. If you decide to flee, take her with you."
"Understood."
"Okay."
The image of Zeph faded from the round mirror. Joash once again contacted all of his allies and asked them on what course of action they were planning to take.
The main reason why Joash had volunteered to become the Gatekeeper of the South was due to the discovery of the Ancient Ruins. From the very start, he had a feeling that, sometime in the future, a great calamity would happen in the Northern Territory.
This was why he decided to create a stronghold in the South, in preparation for what was about to come. His fortress was not made to only keep the invaders of their land away from their Domain, it could also be used as the last line of defense to contain whatever evil might be born from the Ancient Ruins that had made him feel inexplicable danger back then.
"I just hope that Adam can become the chosen one," Joash muttered as he thought about his disciple. "But, that Half-Elf is also a good second choice. Regardless of who remains in the end, I just hope that they will be on my side. If not…"
The Black Dragon closed his eyes, as he clenched his fist. He didn't dare voice out the rest of the words he wanted to say for fear that they would come true.
Dark times were upon them, and soon they would be given a choice between what was easy, and what was right.
Chpater 1059: Let The Killing Begin!
"Where are we?" William asked as he scanned his surroundings.
"How should I know?" Chloee replied with a frown. "Wherever this is, I sense a dark presence in our surroundings."
"We're probably inside the Ancient Ruins," Celine answered. "Do you feel something?"
"No. How about you?" William answered.
Celine pointed in the distance where a black pyramid-like structure could be seen. "I feel something calling out to me in that direction."
William frowned as he gazed in the direction she was pointing in. Try as he might, he couldn't feel anything in his surroundings, or feel any particular attraction to the pyramid in the distance.
'Optimus, can you scan that pyramid for me?' William asked.
The Half-Elf waited for the System's answer, but no answer came to him. This was not the first time that this had happened to William, so he understood that he was in a place where Optimus was blocked by some kind of powerful law, just like had happened in the Deadlands.
"What kind of feeling do you get from that pyramid?" William inquired of the beautiful Elf that was standing beside him.
Celine narrowed her eyes as she tried to understand the faint feeling that was calling out to her.
"It's not hostile, or threatening," Celine answered after a while. "I feel… I feel that if I go there, I will be playing an important role. A role that was given to me by birth."
The frown on William's face deepened. Alarm bells were ringing inside his head, telling him that going in that direction was a very, very, very bad idea.
Making up his mind, he held Celine's firmly and looked her in the eye.
"Let's not," William said as he shook his head. "Don't go there, Celine."
Celine immediately understood what William was trying to say. She glanced at the pyramid in the distance one last time before shifting her gaze towards the red-headed teenager who was looking at her with a worried expression on his face.
"Okay, I won't go there," Celine replied.
Just as the two of them were about to discuss what they were going to do next, a hoarse laughter was heard behind them.
William immediately stood in front of Celine as he faced the Dark Wraith who was hovering several meters away from them.
"Welcome…" the Dark Wraith bowed towards Celine in a respectful manner. "I have been waiting for you… Sacrificial Bride of Darkness."
After gazing at Celine for a few seconds, it then shifted its attention to the black-haired teenager who was now holding a golden staff in his hand.
"Tell me… boy," the Dark Wraith said in a teasing voice. "Do you… believe… in Dark Magic?"
Chloee flew in front of William and transformed into a fourteen-year old girl. She no longer had a playful expression on her face, as she took a guarded stance against the creature that was in front of them.
"Yes," William replied. He had a feeling that if he said no, something terrible would happen to him.
Beads of sweat had formed in his forehead as he gazed at the apparition in front of him. Although he didn't have the system to help him gauge the level of the Dark Wraith whose golden eyes were looking straight at him, he knew, with utmost certainty, that he was looking at a Pseudo-God.
An existence that was just as strong as Apophis.
Chloee also understood this. Although she was violent and stubborn by nature, she knew when to speak up, and when to shut up.
William had a feeling that if the Dark Wraith were to really attack them, even his Heroic Avatar would not stand a chance against it. The only thing he could do was summon Sun Wukong, so the Monkey King could fight in his place.
Right now, Enuma Elish, the Seven Tablets of Creation, was only charged halfway. Its divinity was not enough to deal with the being in front of him, so he had no choice but to call upon his trump card if things went south.
Fortunately, the Dark Wraith didn't seem to have any intention of attacking him. It just laughed hoarsely as a devilish grin appeared on its horrific face.
"We will know… soon enough… if you truly believe," the Dark Wraith stated. "You may do as you please… but know this… the chosen one… will have his bride. Since you are also a candidate… it will not be fun… if you don't participate in the selection."
The Dark Wraith snapped his fingers, and William disappeared from where he stood.
Celine glared at the Dark Wraith as she channeled the Dark Powers in her body.
"Where did you take them?" Celine asked with a trace of killing intent.
"To a game," the Dark Wraith replied. "A wonderful game… of life and death. The Winner takes all… and the Losers, lose everything. Worry not… Destiny's Bride. You will soon… meet… your Destined One."
—---
William found himself in what seemed to be an open plain.
Several Demons were also standing near him, as they, too, looked around them in confusion.
On a raised platform overlooking them all, over a dozen young individuals stood. They were looking down on the newcomers with complicated looks on their faces, as the dark stars on their shoulders glowed faintly.
Recognizing one of the people on the platform, Felix stepped forward and voiced his question.
"Adam, what is going on here?" Felix answered. "Where is this place?"
This was the question that was on everyone's mind at the moment. Together with Felix, all the Demons that were stationed outside the ancient ruins stood with their weapons at the ready. Although they didn't know where they were, their sense of danger was telling them that things were about to get messy soon.
"This is a Slaughter Domain," Adam answered. "Today, the Heir of Darkness will be chosen from among all of us."
Adam then raised his weapon and pointed at the glowing red dot on the horizon.
"Whoever gets there first, will be the Heir of Darkness," Adam said with a serious expression on his face.
Felix glanced at the direction Adam was pointing and nodded his head.
"So, all we need to do is get there, right? Easy enough," Felix answered. "If we all work together, we can overcome this obstacle."
Adam snorted as he gazed down at the firstborn of the Demon Lord.
"Only those that have the qualifications can reach that place," Adam stated. "Right now, all of you gathered here are not qualified to be the Chosen One."
Felix frowned as he looked up at the Demon whom he thought he had made his loyal subordinate.
"What do we need to do to become qualified?" Felix asked.
Adam, as well as the Demons standing by his side smiled as the Power of Darkness inside their bodies burst forth.
"Simple," Adam replied. "All you need to do is believe in Dark Magic."
A few seconds later, a scream of pain came from one of the Demons that was standing at the very back of Felix's group.
A dark blade could be seen sticking out of his chest. A few seconds later, the Demon's body collapsed on the ground. He was no longer breathing, but his body quickly turned completely black.
Everyone gazed at the killer who resembled a Dark Knight, who was wearing black armor and wielding a dark sword.
Soon, more Dark Knights emerged from behind them, until they numbered a hundred.
Although there were almost ten thousand Demons present in the scene, they had a feeling that even if they all worked together, they would still fall prey to the Dark Knights who were pointing their swords at them.
"Go," Adam ordered. "Let the killing begin!"
Chapter 1060: Finally, All The Chess Pieces Are In Place
The Black Knights charged at the thousands of elite Demons that made up the bulk of the army that had been stationed near the Ancient Ruins.
At first, William thought that the Black Knights would overwhelm the Demons with their strength, but to his surprise, the Demons easily subdued them with their teamwork and battle formation.
The Half-Elf then glanced at Adam who was standing on top of the raised platform to see his reaction. When he noticed the sneer on the young Demon's face, he knew that something wasn't right.
'I have a bad feeling about this,' William thought as he whispered in fourtee-year-old Chloee's ear, "Sixth Master, don't engage the enemies. We will just observe for the time being."
Chloee frowned, but didn't argue with William. She too felt that something was wrong, so she decided to stay put and observe for the time being.
Naturally, it was not only the Half-Elf who were thinking of the same thing. Felix, as well as the two ladies who were standing near him, also felt that something was amiss.
"Adam, I'm giving you exactly twenty seconds to explain everything to me," Felix stated. "If you don't give me the answer I am looking for, I'll make you regret making a fool out of me!"
Adam ignored Felix as he looked down on the defeated Black Knights who had been dismembered, their bodies scattered across the ground. He and those that had entered the ancient ruins had fought these knights for many days, and had witnessed how terrifying they could be when the right conditions were met.
"If I were you, I'd pay more attention to what's behind you," Adam replied. "Turning your back on your enemy is a foolish thing to do on the battlefield."
"What are you talki–" Felix wasn't able to finish his words because he felt something ominous behind him.
After turning around, he noticed that the dismembered Black Knights had put themselves back together and doubled their height. If in the beginning they were only two meters tall, now they were four meters tall.
Without waiting for Felix's orders, the Demons once again attacked the Black Knights, but this time, they had a harder time subduing them.
The Black Knights were now twice as strong as they were originally, and even though the Demons had a numerical advantage. The hundred Black Knights were able to kill over two hundred of them before collapsing on the ground.
However, before the Demons could even take a breather, the Black Knights once again reformed themselves. This time, their bodies were oozing a black mist.
"Damn you!" One of the Demons, alongside his squad, attacked one of the black knights. However, something unexpected happened. ꜰʀᴇᴇ wᴇʙ ɴovᴇʟ. coᴍ
With just a single slash of the Black Knight's dark sword, the members of the six-men team were cut in half, as if they were nothing more than bamboo trees that were standing idly in the forest.
The Demons who died turned into black mists that were absorbed by the Black Knight that killed them.
"Do not falter!" the Vice-Commander of the Stronghold shouted. "Magicians, bombard them with magic spells!"
The Demons that specialized in magic unleashed their most powerful spell with the hope that they could decimate the Black Knights that numbered in the hundred. Powerful explosions made the ground tremble, as the destruction created dust clouds in front of them.
"Fools," Adam mocked the army that didn't have any idea what they were facing. "No matter what you do, it's all futile."
Just as soon as his words left his lips, clanging sounds that resembled the movement of armored warriors reverberated in the surroundings.
Several Black Knights emerged from the dust clouds. Thick, dark mists covered their bodies.
"Didn't I tell you earlier?" Adam said in a teasing voice. "All you need to do is believe in Dark Magic."
Felix frowned as he looked up at the Demon who had an amused expression on his face. "What do you mean?"
"Felix, are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid?" Adam answered in a teasing tone. "Must I repeat myself? All you need to do is believe in Dark Magic."
"You mean… these creatures can only die from Dark Magic attacks?"
"Exactly."
"But, none of us have Dark Magic," Felix stated. However, right after he said his words, a realization hit him. "No! Don't tell me!"
Adam smirked. "I guess you're not stupid afterall."
"Sh*t!" Felix cursed out loud as he gave out an order to his men. "Only Dark Magic can kill them! Do any of you know how to wield it?!"
Truth be told, Felix already knew the answer. Everyone who practiced the Dark Arts had already been sent to the Ancient Ruins. The army he had with him was composed of the Elite Army of the Demon Race.
None of them practiced Dark Magic, so the outcome of this battle had been set in stone before the fight had even started.
"As the firstborn of the Demon Lord, I order you, Adam, as well as your compatriots, to deal with the Black knights!" Felix ordered. "I promise on my name that all of you will be rewarded handsomely for your services. If you choose to reject this order, you will be punished with the crime of treason and my army will stop at nothing to kill all of you!"
Adam chuckled after hearing Felix's high-handed order. For him, this was the funniest thing he had heard in a long while.
"I think you still don't understand your situation, Felix," Adam said after he had his fill of laughter. "You have no power here. Just patiently wait for your death, and sacrifice your life to the God of Darkness."
"Bastard!" Felix summoned his sword and pointed it in the direction of the raised platform. "Everyone, kill that ungrateful mongrel as well as his cohorts!"
""Kill!""
The Demon Army charged at the raised platforms with their weapons held high. Their bloodshot eyes locked on the smug expressions of the candidates who were looking down on them as if they were bugs that they could stomp on anytime.
Powerful spells were fired in the direction of Adam and the others, but none of the practitioners of the Dark Arts even bothered to bat an eye. It was as if they couldn't even be bothered to raise a hand to defend themselves from the barrage of spells that was about to rain on them.
As if passing through an invisible veil, the spells that targeted them disappeared without a trace.
The Demons who had charged towards the raised platform, found themselves colliding with an invisible barrier that prevented them from moving forward.
"Didn't I say it earlier? It's not good to turn your back on your enemies," Adam said with a smile. "But since all of you are going to die anyway, I guess my remainder is unnecessary."
"Curse you!" Felix shouted as he gazed at the Black Knights that had now started to charge in their direction. "Form your ranks! We have the advantage in numbers. Destroy them!"
The Demons shouted their battle cries as they heeded their Commander's orders. As soon as the two forces collided, several Demons were instantly dismembered by the Black Knights, whose strength was growing with each minute that passed.
William, who was observing the battle from the side, didn't move. His hand was resting on Chloee's shoulder, as if preventing her from joining the battle.
He didn't care if the Demon Lord's entire Army was annihilated. For him, this was a good thing. Since the Demon Lord had the intention of invading the Central Continent, reducing the strength of their Army was something that he had already planned to do in the beginning.
After observing the brutal battle that was unfolding in front of him, the Half-Elf shifted his attention towards the teenager named Adam who was standing at the raised platform.
Surprisingly, Adam was also looking at him.
As their gazes met, a smirk of ridicule appeared on the young Demon's face.
'So, you are the son of the Dungeon Conqueror,' Adam thought as he looked down on the black-haired teenager with contempt. 'Since he is here, it means that the Bride of Destiny is also here. Finally, all the chess pieces are in place. Lord Joash, I will prove to you that I am superior to him. I will be the one to inherit the power of darkness, and make this world submit under my rule.'